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My experience of coming off sertraline

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I have found this site very helpful during the period that I was taking sertraline and felt I should share my experiences of coming off the drug, in the hope that they may be of help to others.

I was diagnosed with depression last year and have been on 200mg of sertraline for approx 10 months. I also had some therapy during this period and recently took the decision (with my doctor's support) to come off the medication. Wary of repeating the experiences some other posters on this site have had I resolved to reduce my dosage gradually over a period of about a month (more gradually than suggested by my doctor).

Each week I reduced the dosage by 50mg a day. So week one I went down to 150mg a day, week 2 100mg a day etc. The first two weeks were fine with no real changes. By the end of week 3 I began to feel a bit light headed, with hot sweats and dry-mouth also returning. As a result I remained on this dose another week instead of stopping altogether in week 4.

I have now been 5 days with no sertraline and have found the experience of quitting surprisingly easy. I still feel a little light-headed now and again, but other side effects I suffered during the full dose (yawning, tiredness, sexual dysfunction) have all but gone, and although I kind of miss the 'wrapped in cotton wool' feeling I am glad to be back to life without medication.

For what its worth I would suggest that gradual reduction of dosage is the most effective way to avoid the worse of the side-effects experienced when coming off sertraline and that the good news (for me anyway) has been the speed at which the side-effects disappeared.

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  • ClaraD
    ClaraD

    Posted

    I was on sertraline for 7 years and been ever so gradually tapering off over the last 6 months, to recently taking one 50mg tablet every 7 days.

    I am still getting electric shocks and light-headness (2 weeks now since I took the last tablet)

    My question is has anyone ever know this and will the electric jolts stop eventually or is it some permanent side-effect due to being on sertraline too long?

    I am considering taking the supplement 5HTP which is reported to do same thing as sertraline.

    • don88934
      don88934 ClaraD

      Posted

      Hi ClaraD

      I just wonder what you mean when you said that you are still getting electric shocks? Do you mean you are literally touching a metal that has an electricity? If that is so, what are your alternative solutions to avoid touching the electricity 'cause I have the same problem as yours. I am treating myself with the aid of a doctor but I just cant control myself from touching the electricity though. Its annoying and keeps my mind restless. Im also taking sertraline for medication.

  • Jay9
    Jay9

    Posted

    Hi ClaraD,

    I have recently come off Sertraline after two years. I started tapering for a month. I went from 100mg to 50mg for two weeks and then 50mg every other day for two weeks (following GP advice) and finally came off a

    month ago today.

    The tablet has a half life of 2 weeks once you have come off them. My side effects included electric shocks

    (like brain zaps), tiredness, agitatation and I felt spaced out for just under 2 weeks. The

    brain zaps left just after two and a half weeks. It's completely normal.

    The side effects are not permanent. Good luck

    • melodi1998
      melodi1998 Jay9

      Posted

      Thanks Jay9 for your feedback. I stopped cold turkey and have been wondering how long it will take to get rid of the tired/ dizzy feeling. I have been on it for 4 years and I think zoloft was starting to affect me physically in a negative way with weight gain, intestinal issues, skin spots, etc.. I have no idea but wanted to get the drug out of my system and eliminate anything impacting my issues one by one.
    • Guest
      Guest melodi1998

      Posted

      Hi Melodi, I am now 6 days without Sertraline, feel very light headed, agitated and like you i was fed up with the Negative affects whilst on them i,e weight gain. Are you finding it easier to lose weight again now?
    • randy18436
      randy18436 Guest

      Posted

      Mcurtis, I have been coming off for the last month, was at 200 mg for just over a year and I am now down to 50 mg with a plan to cut cold at the end of the week, wish me luck.  Anyways, I put on about 45 pounds during my year and a half on and in this last month of reducing dosage I have already lost 12 pounds.  I must warn you though, make sure you drink a lot of water because intense exercise will feel like something is sucking your brain dry for the first week or so.
    • caroline32668
      caroline32668 randy18436

      Posted

      Love these posts and it really does help to hear other experiences.  I've been on Sertraline 50mg for about 6 months.  Got me through a rough period when I couldn't control my tears.  However, I am ready to be rid of anything in my system.  I have just cut my dose to 25mg over the past 5 days and the goofy headedness is here as well as the electric shocks and some minor GI issues.  Kind of spooky how a drug can mess with your brain matter!!  Anyway, I'm comforted by your comments and hopeful I'll be done with it by mid November. 

       

    • sarahkitikat
      sarahkitikat caroline32668

      Posted

      Hi Caroline!

      My story is pretty similar as yours, I was on 50mg for 4 months. I've been seeing a counselor in the mean time and with her help I finally feel like I am back to being myself again. After talking with my doctor I decided that it was time for me to stop taking sertraline. I've cut my dosage to 25mg over the past 7 days (I'm supposed to stick to 25mg for 3 more weeks, then take 25mg every other day for two weeks, and then stop completely). It's only been a week but I can feel that my brain knows something changed, I've been really agitated and I get irritated really easily. My anxiety and my racing and uncontrollable/unwanted thoughts I used to have are kind of coming back from time to time, but nothing near as bad as how I used to be. I was aware that my symptoms might come back while coming off the medicine so I am ready to go through this. 

      You posted this 10months ago, how are you feeling now? did you feel like your symptoms were coming back when you stopped?

      Thank you!!

    • allison03169
      allison03169 melodi1998

      Posted

      I see you are off the medicine...how's it going now....I am still looking for a sign it will get better
    • chrissy_35161
      chrissy_35161 melodi1998

      Posted

      Do you still have it what does your doctor say I take Sertraline I would like to know thank is that a bad drug
    • paul38854
      paul38854 chrissy_35161

      Posted

      I have been off of it for almost 3 weeks.  I am much happier taking no drugs. I have taken them for 30 years. Haven't told my doctor yet. I know how I feel better than he does!

    • Rhubarb57
      Rhubarb57 Jay9

      Posted

      Hi, just curious to how things went for you? I've come down from 150 to 75. I felt better on 100 than I did 150 but 10 days after lowering to 75 I'm feeling anxious and jittery. Not all the time but on and off and I'm wondering whether I should go back to 100 or stock it out...x

    • cara71308
      cara71308 sarahkitikat

      Posted

      Hi sarah,

      Thanks for your comment, it's really useful for me. I was put on 50mg sertraline almost 4 months ago and I feel like I'm ready to come off. The doctor said 6 months minimum is advised but I'm feeling fine and have been helping myself through nutrition and herbs so I feel ready and just want chemicals out of my body the sooner the better. I started weening off the last few weeks, having 50mg, then 25mg, then 50mg, then 25mg each day and so on, just to get myself used to the lower dose. Yesterday I made the decision to go down to 25mg every day, but have got such a headache and numbness keeps happening in my thumb and sometimes fingers. My skin also became spotty.... Did any of this ring true with you?

      I've heard that others just do one 50 mg every other day and wonder if I should've done that instead....and should maybe revert to this Or are ye headaches normal and will pass after a time. Would love to hear from you. Thank you.

    • chris77285
      chris77285 cara71308

      Posted

      Hi Cara,

      I have been on 100mg for a year or so, ran out and decided by the time I got it refilled to continue to go cold turkey.  It has been obout a week now.  I am not such a good patient and continued my several drinks a night on the med.  Gained like 25 pounds with a knee that acting up and therefore slow to get exercise.  But so far I do feel adgitted a bit, my head feels like a sinus infection, but I do not think I have hit any of the actual 'coming off' effects.  am nervous as I have a wedding to go to out of country....  I wish I had done the slow reduction... no spots on skin or tingles yet. I hope this does not end in a rodeo ride... Best to you and all

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